Wrench.



No. 707,39I. 'Patented Aug. I9, |902."

R. J. CSSEBM.

WRENCH.

(Application led Mar. 29, 1902.)

rrrcnf ROBERT J. OOSSEBOOM, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO, `ASSIGrNOR OF ONF- HALF TO LEONARD M. SMITH, OF LEA-DVILLE, COLORADO.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,891,'dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed March 29, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT J. CossnBooM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Leadville, in the county of Lake and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Wrench, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a class of wrenches having a iixed jaw and a sliding jaw, and has for its object to provide a wrench of the class indicated with novel details of construction which adapt the wrench for quick and reliable adjustment, permit parts of the Wrench to have a wide gripping range, and render the wrench particularly well adapted to grip and turn pipes and bolt-bodies of small or large diameters and to be available where the space is cramped in which to operate the wrench.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and'deined in the ap-` pended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side View of working parts of the improved wrench. Fig. 2 is a partly-sectional side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the wrench seen opposite the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional View substantially on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached perspective View of a clamping device which is a novel detail of construction employed.

The lever-bar 10 in completed form is of sufficient length for effective service, and upon its forward portion two housing-plates 11 are oppositely secured near their rear ends by the rivets 12, so that main portions of the plates that project in advance of the front end of the lever-bar are held spaced apart thereon for reception and support of other details of construction. The forward ends of the housing-plates 11 are preferably formed integral with a wrench-jaw 13, that projects forward and downward, having its upper surface serrated and rendered convex, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A wedge-block 14, which is an essential serial ralentir. (No model.)

feature of the invention, comprises an elongated body-pieceV longitudinally slotted, as at c, and having formed on the'thinnest end a fulcrum-box 14, the edge wall of which is preferably convened, while the top surface thereof is disposed in the same plane with that of the wedge-body, this side of the latter being seated upon the flat lower surface of the lever-bar 10 when the parts of the Wrench are assembled. The wedge-block slopes forwardly on its lower side and is adjustably held upon the lever-bar 10 by the clampingblock 15, that tapers oppositely from the taper of the wedge-block and is provided with two spaced studs b. The portions of the studs b that occupy the slot c in the wedgeblock -14 are preferably squared `in their bodies, having two opposite sides on each adapted to loosely 'contact with the side walls of the slot c, wherebythe clamping-block 15 is prevented from lateral displacement. In the lever-bar 10 two spaced sockets c are formed for reception of the ends b of the studs b, said portions being rounded so as to adapt them to enter and lit said sockets, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, this engagement of the studs serving to hold the clampingwedge 15 in position on the lever-bar.

The clamping-block 15 is clamped upon the wedge-block 14 by the screw-bolt 16, that loosely passes through a perforation in the clamping block between the studs b and screws into a tapped socket-hole d, formed in the lever-bar 10 between the socket c. Preferably the screw-bolt 16 is formed with a winged head 16a, that contacts with a washer 17, imposed upon the clamping-block 15, so that the bolt by manual adjustment may press the clamping-block 15 upon the wedge-block 14 and bind the latter immovably upon the lever-bar 10, so as to prevent a forward sliding movement of the wedge-block.

In the space between the housing-plates 11 the tongue extension 18n of the upper jaw 18 is loosely inserted, said extension having parallel sides that loosely contact with the inner surface of the housing-plates and likewise with the sides of the fulcrum-box 14, into which the tongue extension projects and is rockably held by the transverse pivot-bolt 19. The head portion of the jaw 18, having greater IOO As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 at g, a platespring 20 is held by one end bedded in the front end of the lever-bar 10 and projects upwardly and forwardly, so as to press the upper jaw 1S downward, the resilience of the spring permitting the jaw 18 to be diverged from the stationary jaw 13 when this is necessary and as represented in Fig. 1.

In adjusting the wrench to take hold of a pipe or bolt the diameter of which is within the capacity of the implement the jaw 18 may be quickly diverged a proper degree from the fixed jaw 13, as indicated in Fig. 1, simply by slacking the screw-bolt 16, which will release the pressure of the clampingblock 15 on the wedge-block 14 and permit the forward sliding movement of the wedgeblock to be eifected by manual pressure. As the wedge-block moves forward the tongue extension 18a of the upperjaw 18 will be correspondingly advanced, so that its front edge will impinge on the shoulder f, that defines the front wall of the space between the housing-plates 11, and a continuation of forward sliding movement will obviously rock the jaw upward and rearward against stress of the spring 2O for the gripping engagement of the jaws upon a bolt or pipe A, held engaged therewith by the force of the spring. The operator now turns the bolt 16, so as to enforce contact of the clamping-block 15 upon the wedge-block 14, and, as before mentioned, the clamping-block having its engaged side inclined oppositely from the inclination of the wedge-block will be adapted to prevent the slightest rearward movement of the wedge-block when the jaws 13 and 18 are gripped upon a bolt or pipe body, and the lever-bar 10 is moved laterally to turn the bolt or pipe.

It will be seen that the improved wrench may be applied to pipe or bolts that are close to vertical walls or corners which obstruct the use of ordinary wrenches and may be worked in small space. It will take hold of a small wire rod or a pipe or bolt of considerable diameter and turn either without injury thereto. Its range of adjustment is large, and the workin g parts may be instantly moved and secured at any point within the range of the jaw 18.

y It will be seen that by the novel construction and combination with the wedge-block 14, clamping-block 15, rockable upper jaw 18, spring 20, that bears upon the latter, and the handle-'lever 10 aspreading adjustment ofthe jaw 18 may be effected by a slight, pressure upon the rear end of the wedge-block 14, if the bolt 16 is slackened just enough to permit the wedge-block to slide forwardly, the

movable jaw 18 being rocked automatically.

into engagement with an object placed between the jaws by the spring 20. By employment of the counteracting wedge-blocks 14 and 15 a closer gripping adjustment can be made than when teeth are introduced between the lever-bar and movable jaw, as is common to this class of wrenches, and it will be manifest that the greater the resistance to turning of the wrench when in use the tighter the upper jaw will be held against relaxing, and that without regard to the frictional contact enforced by the screw-bolt 16 and clamping block 15 a reverse movement of the screw-bolt may be readily e'ected and the wrench-jaws be detached from the object gripped instantly, as may be desired.

Having fully described my invention, I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a lever-bar having a fixed jaw on one end, of a loose jaw, a wedge-block held to slide on the lever-bar and pivoted near one end upon an extension of the loose jaw, and means for holding the wedge-block releasably clamped upon the lever-bar.

2. The combination with a lever-bar having a Xed jaw on one end, of a loose jaw having an extension rockable in a slot in the leverbar, a wedge-block held to slide on the leverbar and pivoted near one end upon the extension of the loose jaw, and means for releasably clamping the wedge-block upon the lever-bar.

3. The combination with a lever-bar having a convex-faced jaw on one end,- and a loose jaw rockable in a slot in the lever-bar and having a concave face, of a slotted wedgeblock bearing upon the lower edge of the lever-bar, a clamping-block having members ,engagin g the lever-bar, and a screw-bolt passing through the clamping-block and slot in the wedge-block, its inner end screwing into the lever-bar. f

4. The combination with a lever-bar having a convex-faced jaw on one end, and a loose jaw rockable in-a slot in the lever-bar and having a concave face, of a slotted wedgeblock, a fulcrum-box on one end of the wedgeblock wherein one end of the convex-faced jaw is pivoted, and a clamping-block the top face of which is inclined oppositely from the inclined surface of the wedge-block upon which it bears, and a screw-bolt passing through the clamping-block and through the slot in the wedge-block and having screwed engagement with the lever-bar.

5. In a wrench of the character described, the combination with the lever-bar having a iXed jaw on one end, and a mating rockable jaw, of a wedge-block slidable on an edge of the lever-bar and having a longitudinal slot IOC) IIO

therein, one end of the wedge-block being pivoted upon a depending end of the rockable jaw, and a clamping-block having two spaced studs passing loosely through the slot in the Wedge-block and entering sockets in the le- Ver-bar, and a screw-bolt having a Winged head, the threaded body of said bolt passing loosely through the clamping-block and the slot in the wedge-block, its innei` end screw ing into a tapped hole in the lever-bar.

6. In a wrench of the character described, the combination with the lever-bar, and a fixed jaw and a iockable jaw, of a slotted wedge-block, a clamping-block having a bearing-face inclined oppositely to the inclined I5 face of the wedge-block upon which it bears, studs on the clamping-block, holding the wedge-block and said clamping-block from lateral displacement on the lever-bar, and

a screw-bolt passing through the clamping- 2oblock and wedge-block into the lever-bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT J. COSSEBOOM.

Witnesses: A

JOHN C. KINsMAN, JOE LINDSAY, J r. 

